Guide to Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are nutrients that the body requires to work properly. Most people should get the recommended amount of vitamins and minerals through eating a healthy, balanced diet. Although similar, vitamins and minerals differ in a basic way: vitamins are organic whereas minerals are inorganic. Below, I have helpfully organised a list of what specific vitamins/minerals are good for and in which foods they can be found. I hope you find this post helpful, please keep reading if you're interested. 

Vitamin	Needed For	Good Sources
A	Strong immunity; healthy skin, hair and eyes.	Liver, eggs, cod, dairy foods, spinach, carrots and apricots.
B	Good mental health; conversion of food into energy; healthy skin, eyes, nerves, muscle and heart; lack associated with depression.	Whole-grains, poultry, fish, nuts, meat, offal, most fruits and vegetables, eggs, dairy products and yeast extract.
C	Immunity; wound-healing; growth and maintenance of bones, teeth, gums, ligaments and blood vessels.	Blackcurrants, citrus fruits, berries, red peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, kale, potatoes, peas and cabbage.
D	Strong bones and teeth; good mental health; strong immunity; lack of associated with low mood and infections.	Sun exposure, fish-liver oils, oily fish, eggs, liver, butter, margarine, cereals, milks and mushrooms.
E	Protection against free radicals; normal growth and development; healthy immune system and blood vessels.	Berries, avocados, sweet potatoes, nuts, seeds, olive oils and wholegrains.
K	Strong bones; blood clotting; lack of linked with osteoporosis and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)	Broccoli, spinach, kale, sprouts, oats, whole-wheat cereals and olive oil.

Those are the vitamins that the body requires, now on to the minerals. There are four in total. 

Minerals	Needed For	Good Sources
Calcium	Strong bones and teeth; healthy nervous system; blood clotting and muscle contraction; lack of can cause tenseness, irritability and difficulty sleeping.	Low-fat milk, cheese, yoghurt, tinned sardines, almonds, seeds, dried apricots, oranges, oats, Brazil nuts, molasses, watercress, leeks, parsnips, lentils, beans broccoli, celery and tap water.
Chromium	Maintains blood sugar levels and aids the breakdown of fats.	Chicken, beef, liver, eggs, wholegrains, apples, bananas, tomatoes, green peppers, spinach, onions, lentils, herbs and spices.
Iron	Production of haemoglobin, which carries oxygen around the body. Lack of iron can lead to fatigue, low mood and anaemia.	Liver, shellfish, sardines, meat, poultry, nuts, dried fruit, beans, peas, lentils, cereals, muesli and dark leafy vegetables.
Magnesium	Bone growth; healthy nervous system and muscle function; shortage can lead to depression.	Wholemeal bread, bran, whole-wheat cereals, oats, nuts, seeds, baked beans, peas, potatoes, fish, dairy foods and dark chocolate.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope this post was helpful. I know it is a little different to the posts I usually upload but I found it pretty interesting. Don't forget to comment below what kind of posts you would like to see next and don't forget to follow. Enjoy your weekend. Take care.

Love ♥

Kiran